


By Your Side

by Yhannen Greystone (vanijane)



Category: Gundam SEED
Genre: But Yzak is a Tsun so..., Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Revised Version
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 10:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2266317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanijane/pseuds/Yhannen%20Greystone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yzak is shaken up by the firing of GENESIS and Shiho's there to see him at his weakest.</p><p>
  <i>Set during the events of Phase 48 after the first shot of GENESIS.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my FanFiction.Net account back in 2010 but edits have been made to this version.
> 
>  **Translations:**  
>  French - [A tes côtés](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7706362/1/A_tes_cotes) by [Izusu Hime](http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1201816)

Commander Yzak Joule got off the DUEL and as he held on to the cable that brought him down from the large mobile suit, his hands shook. He’d just seen the first shot from GENESIS, a machine that would finally give them the victory they wanted over those Naturals—but it turned his stomach and left him feeling too cold and scared.

It left him paralyzed and the thought that any of his men could’ve been caught at the line of fire of _that_ monstrosity was enough to make him wretch. He couldn’t live with such a crime even for the peace and preservation of his homeland and fellow Coordinators.

_Was it truly necessary to kill every last Natural? Was that true victory?_

He could faintly hear the voice of a certain refined lady in his head, forcing a frown on his face.

“Sir,”

He turned, schooling a stoned expression as he found four of his men saluting at him. He saluted them back as he noted that Shiho was leading the small group, undoubting that they had numerous reports to share but no, he wasn’t in the mood to listen to them, not at the moment.

He needed to sit down and think because suddenly there was just a jumble of thoughts and emotions swirling in his head. Dearka. Athrun. Lacus. They weren’t with ZAFT, they were considered thieves and traitors—they were going to be killed. _No_. He didn’t want them to die—

Dearka was his friend—right? Yzak thought him dead but he was alive and…and he betrayed ZAFT, betrayed their friendship but if he was truly dead and by the hands of his own people…Yzak gritted his teeth.

He never considered being close to Athrun or the Pink Princess but he knew them and his previous encounter with Dearka had him reflecting on everything. He believed in his cause, he wanted peace for his kind—but to what end? Did they really need to die…when they fought for the same thing? Or did they really? He didn’t know and it was too much, just too much to take in.

Shiho noted the sudden paleness on Yzak and turned to her fellow soldiers, addressing them with a stern but kind voice, “I’ll relay the reports to the Commander, the rest of you should get some rest before the next battle.”

“You’re relieved,” Yzak said a moment later, knowing the soldiers under him rarely moved unless he ordered them to (out of fear and part respect).

“You need some rest,” Shiho said when the others had left and she turned to him with a small frown.

“I’ll be fine,” he insisted with a click of his tongue but allowed Shiho to lead him towards an empty hallway.

“Yzak, I can tell something’s bothering you,” she told him gently, a small concerned frown gracing her face.

“It-It’s nothing,” the commander insisted, gritting his teeth down and averted his gaze from the other.

He hoped she’d leave him alone, he needed to be alone. He couldn’t tell her what happened, that Dearka was alive, that he knew where Athrun and Lacus were. These were things he needed to keep to himself, he couldn’t—

“Shi—”

“I’m here,” she whispered, ignoring his shock.

Shiho kept her arms around the other in a firm hold, not wanting to be suddenly pushed off. She’d felt him stiffen under her touch but stubbornly held on because she knew him too well, far better than he gave her credit for.

“I…I don’t know what happened at L4 or what’s going on in your head and you don’t have to tell me but I’m here. Whatever that’s bothering you, _I’m here_ and I’ll always be here even when you won’t need me.”

“Shiho...” Yzak raised a hand to touch her but quickly fisted it when he realized he was trembling.

“Yzak,” she said with a firm tone and she looked up at him, her eyes gentle and understanding against his hard and troubled orbs, “you don’t have to put up shields in front of me.”

His expression broke to something more open, more honest and she felt him slowly ease away the stiffness before being pulled into a tight embrace. His face was buried on her shoulder and she could feel the warm breaths coming from him, the emotion and the weight he carried. She held onto him tightly, too terrified of losing him—he meant so much to her, more than he could ever guess.

“Can I…can I hold you just a bit longer?”

His voice quivered with emotion and Shiho felt her chest tighten at the raw sound, “for as long as you’d like, Yzak.”


End file.
